English-Modern Languages

Description of the Major. Westmont offers regular modern language courses in French, German Studies, and Spanish. These courses emphasize communication skills at the elementary and intermediate levels. Beyond the classroom, regularly scheduled drill sessions and the use of the language laboratory encourage the development of skills. Students learn about the culture and civilization through reading selected portions of literature as well as through a variety of media. The College offers upper-division courses and majors in French and Spanish. In these programs students study masterpieces of the literature and discuss them in their original languages.

Distinctive Features. Personally acquainted with the culture of the languages they teach, the professors incorporate personal experiences and insights in lectures and discussions. Small class sizes, close student-faculty relationships, a well-equipped language laboratory, and a flexible curriculum all contribute to fulfilling students’ needs and demands in studying modern languages and their literature.

Career Choices. Becoming proficient in a second language and understanding people of another culture are competencies valuable in any profession or career. They can help us live and move in the global community as attractive and articulate witnesses for Christ. In every field, including foreign missions, domestic human services agencies, business, education, government, and the arts, there is a need for people capable of communicating meaningfully with others.

Requirements for a Major:

36 units

ENG 117 Shakespeare (4)
Literature Survey: Two courses selected from one of the following categories (8)
A. British Literature
ENG 46 Survey of British Literature to 1800 (4)
ENG 47 Survey of British Literature 1800-Present (4)
OR
B. American Literature - Two of the following:
ENG 130 Major American Writers to 1865 (4)
ENG 131 Major American Writers 1865-1914 (4)
ENG 132 Major American Writers 1914-1945 (4)
ENG 133 Major American Writers: Special Topics (4)
Two upper-division electives in English Literature (8)
Four upper-division literature courses in a Single Foreign Language (16)

Course Descriptions

GER I - Introductory German (4) Introduces students to various aspects of the German-speaking world as a way of enabling them to begin building communicative abilities in German in reading, listening, writing, and speaking. The course incorporates a variety of activities through diverse collaborative and individual tasks in the learning of major sentence patterns and grammatical features of German, as well as integration of current technology (e.g., computer programs, the Internet, e-mail, video and film). Offered fall semesters (GE).

GER II - Prerequisite: GER I or consent of instructor
Introductory German (4) reviews the basic grammar from German Studies I and further develops communicative abilities in reading, listening, writing, and speaking German. This course builds on a basic knowledge of simple sentence patterns to introduce more grammatical features of German forms and explore the significance of the rich cultural tradition of the German-speaking countries of Central Europe. Offered spring semesters (GE).